Chen: No progress on passport application

• Tweet

BEIJING, May 11 (UPI) -- Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, who escaped house arrest and hid in the U.S. embassy in Beijing, said there has been no progress on his passport application.

After Chen, who is blind, recently left the embassy amid a diplomatic flap, China told him he could apply to study abroad and he was given an offer to go to New York University.

Chen said Chinese officials have not made any progress in getting him a passport, the BBC reported Friday.

"I haven't heard anything," he said, "Chinese authorities promised they would help but I don't know if they will."

Chen has been at a Beijing hospital -- under Chinese guard. He is being treated for a leg injury he sustained during his escape.

A diplomatic flap arose after Chen escaped and took refuge at the embassy.